Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-04-23
oLDEN TIMES.
One of McMinnville's Pioneer Newspa-
pers. Political Affairs Away Back
in the Forties.

The first paper of which the oldee
inhabitants of McMinnville have any
recollection of being published here
was the Warren Register, which was
established by Mr.. John w. Ford
somewhere about the year 1880. We
have before us several copies of the
Central Gazette, dated in February
and March, 1S43. These are among
the first numbers of the 18th volume
of the paper, which would indicate
that it was established about the first
of January, 1888. Mr.. John w.
Ford was the publisher of the Ga
zette in its earlier days, and it is
probable that the Register was merg-
ed into the Gazette, or the name of
the Register changed TO the Gazette,
and the volume and number retain
ed. The copies of the Gazette before
us bear the name of Leonidas n.
Ford, a son of John w. Ford, as edi-
tor and publisher. 1t is six column
quarto, and very neatly made and
printed. The papers contain a
column advertisement of pills and
liniments for sale by White & Col
vile, while J. Moore & Co., have
something over column of adver-
tisements of general merchandise.
These are the only two business
houses advertised in the papers.
There are some five or six columns
of legal advertisements, a few estray
notices, and a medical card for DIR.
Smart. Messrs. Jesse Lock, John
II. French and VIM Armstrong were
annouced as candidates to represent
Warren county in the Legislature
Thos. H. Hopkins for the State Sen.
ate and Joseph M. Bragg for Sheriff.
An appointment was published fol-
Jas. K. Polk, then candidate for gov
ernor, to speak at McMinnville on
July 10th.
Outside of political matters the
papers do not contain a single item Of
local or state news. Two or three
columns are given to literary and
general news, and the balance of the
reading space is filled with politics
There is quite lengthy list of adver
tised letters remaining in the post
Office to which the name of Mr.. Sam
uel L. Colville appears as postmaster
One Of the papers contains the pro
ceedings of a Democratic Congression
al convention held at Smithville or
Monday and Tuesday, March 2Ott
and Dist, 1913, which convention
unanimously nominated Hon. Sam
uel H. Laughlin as the Democratic
candidate for Congress. This wa!
then the 4th Congressional District
known as the Mountain District, anC
was composed of the counties of COT
fee, Warren, DeKalb, Van Buren,
White, Overton, Jackson and Fent
ress. Putnam county, which hat
just been formed from the counties O
Jackson, White and Overton, wa
also in the district, but as the county
organization had not been effected thu
citizens of the new county voted il
their old counties at this election
Notwithstanding the district wa
composed of eight counties, no men
ton is made in the proceedings O
this convention of any participation
therein by four of the counties, viz
White, Overton, Jackson and Fen
tress. There were only eleven dele
gates present at the convention, a
follows: From Coffee county, Gen. A
E. Patton, w. S. Watterson, w. II
Coulson, r. r. Price and Johl
Charles. From Warren county, Ma
l.. d. Mercer, Jesse Locke, and W
S. Mooney. From DeKalb county
James belong, j. Mcclure and W
Fl. Judkin. Mention is made tina
the delegates from VanBuren count
were prevented from attending b
severe weather, a heavy snow storr
and high waters. Mr.. w. S. Water
son was chairman of the convention
and Messrs. l.. d. Mercer and w.
Mooney secretaries. Theproceeding
contain long letter from Col. S. Il
Laughlin, declining to be candidat
before the convention, but notwitf
standing this he was unanimousl
, nominated. Previous to the CONVEX
vention Col. Alvan Cullom, of Owe
, ton county, had been put forward b
the democrats of his county as a cal
didate for congress, but his nam
, does not appear at all in the proceed
+ ings Of the convention. One issue {
: the paper contains a long letter frol
Col. CullOm, expressing his willing
I | nnsS tD St1bn1it tic claims to tho M,